Government

Finance roles within the public sector are hugely diverse, and while it's impossible to cover every single type of vacancy, a quick search on efinancialcareers.com will show you positions such as Costing Manager, Product Development Manager, Tariff Analyst, Regulatory Economist, and Tax Utility Operations Director. Although there are hundreds of different job titles, one of the most common within the public sector is Accountant.

Public Sector Accountancy

Regardless of the role you take within public sector finance, a strong interest and background is accountancy is essential, as practically everything you do will ultimately be based within accounts. While dedicated accountants may focus upon more administration-based tasks, such as ensuring targets are met and identifying vulnerable areas, others may need to hone into their accounting experience. This is to make sure any assets that they manage are tallied appropriately, and making sure that any project costs are totaled and communicated correctly.

Private or Public Sector: Which is Best?

There is great debate surrounding which is the better working environment - the private sector or public sector. Which type of environment is best really depends upon your skills, your experience, and your preferences. Within the private sector, finance roles can be very fast paced, sometimes stressful, and with long working hours. If a deal goes wrong, the risk is high for the client, but might have little or no impact upon the economy. Salaries within the private sector are often high, and many roles come with annual bonuses. Working in the public sector, on the other hand, can be a much more relaxed setting, with set hours - typically 9-5. However, if something goes seriously wrong, the economy can be greatly affected. Salaries tend to be lower within the public sector.